BRANISLAV IVANOVIC has warned Chelsea’s misfiring stars that time is fast running out for them to rescue their season and insisted that below-par performances have now become too “normal”.

Ivanovic said Chelsea have been playing way below the levels they achieved in the past and stressed they now have to show fighting spirit to save a campaign from disintegrating into mediocrity. His warning comes just 24 hours before Chelsea take on Manchester United in a quarter-final that could define their season.

Chelsea’s wayward ways continued on Thursday when they lost 1-0 to Steaua Bucharest in Romania in the first leg of their Europa League last-16 clash.

It leaves Rafa Benitez’s side with a tough task in the home leg at Stamford Bridge on Thursday . By then, though, an eighth trophy could already have passed them by unless they can pull off a shock result at Old Trafford.

These are grim times for a Chelsea side , as they also bid to hold on to a top-four place in the Premier League, but Ivanovic believes they have no one to blame but themselves.

The Serb defender said: “We have to be honest with each other. We have to look in the mirror. A lot of things are not going how we would like.

“We are not playing at the level we know we can. If we are realistic this has become normal. We have to change it quickly, because games are passing us by.

“Time is running out. And if we want to change things we have to show more character and fighting spirit .

“This team was in the same situation last year and we finished well. We have to be strong, stay together and try to finish the season at the highest level because from now on every game is going to be harder and harder. ”

Rafa Benitez has had an uneasy relationship with the Chelsea fans

There are a lot of reasons why things have gone wrong but now is not the time to work out why, not the time to look behind us. We have to look forward.

Branislav Ivanovic

Ivanovic pulled few punches as he assessed a campaign which followed another troubled season in 2011-12, but one which ended with the club turning things round and winning the FA Cup and Champions League.

He also feels he has something to prove tomorrow. For it was his harsh sending-off in the home league game against United in October which could be said to have been the turning point.

Chelsea, under Roberto Di Matteo, were top of the table, United second.

Chelsea were drawing 2-2 but after Ivanovic and Fernando Torres were both controversially sent off by referee Mark Clattenburg, they crashed 3-2 to their first domestic defeat of the season. Three weeks later, Di Matteo had been axed, and it has been downhill from there.

Ivanovic added: “There are a lot of reasons why things have gone wrong but now is not the time to work out why, not the time to look behind us. We have to look forward.”